Rose plant named ‘Evera 117’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of rose plant named ‘Evera 117’, characterized by its upright, compact and rounded plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; large bright double red-colored flowers; flowers held upright on strong and erect peduncles; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Rosa hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Evera 117’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of the Roseclass, botanically known as Rosa hybrida, commercially known as a pottedRose and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Evera 117’.

The new Rose plant is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Denmark. The objective of the breeding program was todevelop new potted Rose cultivars with novel and attractive flowercolors, disease resistance and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Rose plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor on Apr. 1, 2002 of two unnamed proprietary Rosa hybridaseedlings, not patented. The cultivar Evera 117 was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Denmark. Plantsof the new cultivar differ primarily from plants of the parentselections primarily in flower color.

Asexual reproduction of the new Rose plant by cuttings in Denmark sinceDec. 1, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Rose plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations ofasexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Rose plant has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly withvariations in environment such as temperature and light level, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Evera 117’. These characteristics incombination distinguish the new Rose plant as a new and distinctcultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, compact and rounded plant habit.    -   2. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   3. Large double bright red-colored flowers.    -   4. Flowers held upright on strong and erect peduncles.    -   5. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Rose plant can be compared to plants of the Rosecultivar Espever, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inDenmark, plants of the new Rose differed from plants of the cultivarEspever in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Rose were not as outwardly spreading as        plants of the cultivar Espever.    -   2. Plants of the new Rose were more freely branching and more        freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Espever.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Rose had fewer petals per flower        than flowers of plants of the cultivar Espever.    -   4. Plants of the new Rose and the cultivar Espever differed in        flower coloration as plants of the cultivar Espever had lighter        red-colored petals.    -   5. Plants of the new Rose had shorter peduncles than plants of        the cultivar Espever.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate typical specimens of thevegetative growth and flowers of the new Rose plant, showing the colorsas true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductionsof this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from thecolor values cited in the detailed botanical description which moreaccurately describe the actual colors of the new Rose plant.

The photograph at the top of the first sheet comprises a sideperspective view of typical plants of the new Rose plant grown in acontainer in Denmark.

The photograph at bottom of the first sheet is a side perspective viewof typical plants of ‘Espever’ (left) and ‘Evera 117’ (right).

The photograph at the top of the second sheet comprises close-up viewsof the upper surfaces of typical flowers and leaves of the ‘Espever’(left) and ‘Evera 117’ (right).

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet comprises close-upviews of the lower surfaces of typical flowers and leaves of the‘Espever’ (left) and ‘Evera 117’ (right).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations and measurements describe plants grown inDenmark in 10-cm containers in a glass greenhouse and under conditionswhich closely approximate commercial production conditions during thesummer. Plants used for the description were about 15 weeks old. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Rosa hybrida cultivar Evera 117.-   Commercial classification: Potted Rose.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal or stem cuttings.        -   Time to rooting.—8 to 10 days with soil temperatures of 20°            C.        -   Root description.—Fine; freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Upright, compact and rounded plant habit.        -   Plant height.—About 23 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 18 cm.        -   Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous; suitable for 10-cm            containers.        -   Stem description.—Branching habit: About three to six            lateral branches per plant. Lateral branch length: About 18            to 22 cm. Lateral branch diameter: About 4 mm. Internode            length: About 1.2 to 2.5 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: 146B to 146C. Thorns: Length: About 3 to 5 mm.            Diameter: About 3 to 5 mm. Shape: Roughly deltoid. Color:            166C.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternately; compound with            typically three to five leaflets per leaf, generally            symmetrical Leaflet length: About 2.5 to 5 cm. Leaflet            width: About 1.5 to 3.6 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Apiculate.            Base: Obtuse. Margin: Serrulate. Venation pattern: Pinnate;            reticulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; leathery. Petiole length: About 1.2 to 2 cm.            Petiole diameter: About 1 mm. Color: Developing foliage,            upper surface: 147A. Developing foliage, lower surface:            191A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: 191A tinted with 187B.            Venation, upper surface: 147A to 147B. Venation, lower            surface: 146C. Petiole, upper and lower surfaces: 146B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Large double bright red-colored            flowers. Consistently symmetrical rosette flowers that are            hemispherical in shape. Flowers borne singly on erect and            strong peduncles; about six to eight flower buds and flowers            per lateral branch. Flowers persistent.        -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions,            optimal flowering from spring through autumn under garden            conditions; flowering intermittent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5.5 to 6.5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 1.8 cm.        -   Flower longevity on plant.—About two weeks.        -   Fragrance.—Slight; typical of Rosa.        -   Flower buds (at stage of showing color).—Shape: Ovoid.            Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm. Color: 146B.        -   Petals.—Quantity: About 17 to 18 per flower. Length: About            0.9 to 3 cm. Width: About 0.8 to 3.6 cm. Shape: Broadly            obovate. Apex: Rounded; retuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            satiny. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:            45B. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Between            45B and 53C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity flower: Typically five. Calyx length: About            2 to 2.2 cm. Calyx diameter: About 6 to 7 mm. Shape: Linear;            falcate. Apex: Sharply pointed. Base: Truncate. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 147A.        -   Peduncles.—Strength: Strong, but flexible. Aspect: Mostly            erect. Length: About 3 to 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 to 3 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About 62 per flower.            Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther            color: 22A. Pistils: Quantity: About 32 per flower. Pistil            length: About 5 to 6 mm. Stigma color: 5D. Style color: 179A            to 179B.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Rose have not been shown    to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Rose plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new rose have been shown to be    tolerant to temperatures from 0° C. to 45° C.

1. A new and distinct rose plant named ‘Evera 117’, as illustrated anddescribed.